As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,162, in well-known blow molding processes, bottles or other containers or articles are formed from an extruded parrison between a pair of mating mold halves, whereupon the mold halves separate and the molded article is ejected. In most operations of this nature, flashings or fins of excess plastic material are formed at the parting line where the mold halves are in engagement. The flashing is then removed in a separate operation, either by hand or by machine.
Further illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,716 is a process for molding a container having a handle. In the described process, which is merely exemplary of many other types of methods for making containers having handles, the mold halves are again separated to free the container. When the container is removed from the mold, a compressed and bonded area of material, defined by the mold halves, is located between the container body and the handle. The material comprising the compressed and bonded area is then trimmed to form a handle opening. Removal of the material is accomplished through means known in the art such as laser, water jets, or mechanical impact de-flashing. By design, when the flashing is trimmed from the handle opening, a rib is left behind along the inside of the handle as formed by the bonding of adjacent areas of the wall.
When excess flashing is present in the handle grip area, whether by design or merely as a result of the trimming process, the flashing that remains may undesirably intrude into the hand of an individual lifting or holding the container by the handle. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved, molded, plastic container that can be lifted and/or held without an individual experiencing any serious discomfort caused by flashing that may remain on the handle grip area.